William Sanderson McCormick (November 2, 1815 – September 27, 1865) was an American businessman who developed the company that became the major producer of agricultural equipment in the 19th century. The business became the
International Harvester
The International Harvester Company (often abbreviated by IHC, IH, or simply International ( colloq.)) was an American manufacturer of agricultural and construction equipment, automobiles, commercial trucks, lawn and garden products, household e ...
corporation after his death.
Although he died relatively young with most of the fame going to his brothers, his extended
McCormick family
The McCormick family of Chicago and Virginia is an American family of Scottish and Scotch-Irish descent that attained prominence and fortune starting with the invention of the McCormick Reaper, a machine that revolutionized agriculture, helped b ...
continued to be influential in the politics and business of Chicago.
Life
William Sanderson McCormick was born November 2, 1815 on the family estate known as
Walnut Grove, in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
.
His father was
Robert McCormick (1780–1846) and mother Mary Ann (Hall) McCormick.
He was educated in public schools and took an interest in business. When the family farm had financial problems in the
panic of 1837
The Panic of 1837 was a financial crisis in the United States that touched off a major depression, which lasted until the mid-1840s. Profits, prices, and wages went down, westward expansion was stalled, unemployment went up, and pessimism abound ...
, he took over its management and made it profitable again. When his father died in 1846, his older brother
Cyrus McCormick
Cyrus Hall McCormick (February 15, 1809 – May 13, 1884) was an American inventor and businessman who founded the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, which later became part of the International Harvester Company in 1902. Originally from the ...
and younger brother
Leander J. McCormick
Leander James McCormick (February 8, 1819 – February 20, 1900) was an American inventor, manufacturer, philanthropist, and businessman and a member of the McCormick family of Chicago and Virginia. Along with his elder brothers Cyrus and William ...
left to start a factory to produce the mechanical
reaper
A reaper is a agricultural machinery, farm implement or person that wikt:reap#Verb, reaps (cuts and often also gathers) crops at harvest when they are ripe. Usually the crop involved is a cereal grass. The first documented reaping machines were ...
s that had been developed on the farm, while he was left to take care of the estate.
Career
In 1850, William, his wife, and infant son moved to Chicago to join his brothers in the family business, first on a salary basis. The
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...
had created a labor shortage, which was good for demand, but also caused turnover in the factory employees. William managed the day-to-day operations of the business while Cyrus was often traveling or pursuing patent infringement lawsuits. William tried to mediate between Cyrus (who claimed all the credit as "inventor") and his brother Leander, who was now in charge of technical aspects of product development.
In 1859, he negotiated a formal agreement giving him and Leander one fourth interest in the company, and renamed it "C. H. McCormick & Brothers."
The onset of the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
brought new demand, but stress from another labor shortage. McCormick bought real estate in
downtown Chicago
''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ...
which proved to be a wise investment. The family was attacked in the press as being southern sympathizers. In fact, the family never adjusted to the brutal cold of winters in Chicago. Brother Cyrus worsened the conflict by funding conservative newspapers to battle the liberal major publishers that were tied to local politicians. Cyrus traveled to Europe in 1864 where he successfully promoted international sales.
Personal life
He married Mary Ann Grigsby (1828–1878) on July 11, 1848, daughter of Virginia planter Reuben Grigsby of
Hickory Hill plantation
Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in Mexi ...
.
Together, William and Mary were the parents of five children:
*
Robert Sanderson McCormick
Robert Sanderson McCormick (July 26, 1849 – April 16, 1919) was an American diplomat. Born in rural Virginia, he was part of the extended McCormick family that became influential in Chicago.
Early life
McCormick was born July 26, 1849 on the ...
(1849–1919), who married the daughter of ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' publisher
Joseph Medill
Joseph Medill (April 6, 1823March 16, 1899) was a Canadian-American newspaper editor, publisher, and Republican Party politician. He was co-owner and managing editor of the ''Chicago Tribune'', and he was Mayor of Chicago from after the Great Ch ...
. He served as U.S.
Ambassador
An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sov ...
to
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, Russia and France.
*
William Grigsby McCormick
William Grigsby McCormick (June 3, 1851 – November 29, 1941) was an American businessman of the influential McCormick family in Chicago, who was a co-founder of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He also served as a Chicago alderman.
Early life and educa ...
(1851–1941), who married Eleanor Brooks on October 23, 1873 and had seven children. He was one of the five founders of the
Kappa Sigma Fraternity
Kappa Sigma (), commonly known as Kappa Sig, is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1869. Kappa Sigma is one of the five largest international Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraterniti ...
at the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
in 1869.
* Emma Louise McCormick (1854–1893), who married Wisconsin and Chicago judge, politician and railroad executive
Perry H. Smith
Perry H. Smith, Sr., (March 18, 1828March 29, 1885) was an Americans, American judge, politician, and railroad executive. He served two years in the Wisconsin State Senate (1856–1857) and three years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, State ...
on June 18, 1878.
* Anna Reubenia "Ruby" McCormick (1860–1917), who married
Edward Tyler Blair
Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”.
History
The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...
(1857–1939) on May 29, 1882.
* Lucy Virginia McCormick (1865–1928), who married lawyer
Samuel Rountree Jewett
Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bi ...
(1862–1922), on October 9, 1888.
Outwardly, McCormick was described as "of a cheerful disposition, quick spoken, ... a most interesting and agreeable man".
However, he suffered from "nervous dyspepsia" and his mental state deteriorated. Various treatments for his mental illness such as bland diets or water cures proved ineffective. In April 1865 he stated simply to Cyrus "I am extremely nervous". He continued to manage the business until checking into the
Illinois State Asylum in
Jacksonville, Illinois
Jacksonville is a city in Morgan County, Illinois, Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,446 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County. It is home to Illinois College, Illinois School for the Deaf, and the ...
in August 1865. He died there on September 27, 1865. His widow cashed in her share of the business, moved back to Virginia, and left the children with their uncles in Chicago.
He was buried in
Graceland Cemetery
Graceland Cemetery is a large historic garden cemetery located in the north side community area of Uptown, in the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Established in 1860, its main entrance is at the intersection of Clark Street and Ir ...
, and replaced as general manager by
Charles A. Spring, Jr.
Descendants
Through his son Robert, he was the grandfather of
Joseph Medill McCormick (1877–1925), a
U.S. Senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
from Illinois,
and
Robert R. McCormick
Robert Rutherford "Colonel" McCormick (July 30, 1880 – April 1, 1955) was an American lawyer, businessman and Anti-war movement, anti-war activist.
A member of the McCormick family of Chicago, McCormick became a lawyer, Republican Party (Unite ...
(1880–1955), the publisher of the ''Tribune'', which had been a major attacker of the family during the war.
Through his son William, he was the grandfather of
Chauncey Brooks McCormick (1884–1954),
and the great-grandfather of
Brooks McCormick
Brooks McCormick (February 23, 1917 – August 15, 2006) was an American philanthropist and equestrian from the McCormick family that ran International Harvester. He was the chief executive officer of International Harvester in the 1970s, and was ...
(1917–2006), who was the last McCormick to lead the family firm.
Through his daughter Ruby, he was the grandfather of financier
William McCormick Blair (1884–1982) and great-grandfather of
William McCormick Blair Jr.
William McCormick "Bill" Blair Jr. (October 24, 1916 – August 29, 2015) was an American diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to Denmark from 1961 to 1964 and as United States Ambassador to the Philippines from 1964 until 1967. A lawy ...
(1916–2015), who served as
U.S. Ambassador to Denmark
The first representative from the United States to Denmark was appointed in 1827 as a Chargé d'Affaires. There followed a series of chargés and ministers until 1890 when the first full ambassador ''(Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipoten ...
from 1961 to 1964 and as
the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
from 1964 until 1967.
Family tree
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCormick, William Sanderson
1815 births
1865 deaths
McCormick family
Businesspeople from Chicago
People from Virginia